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These Actors Were Almost Cast As Bond. James Bond.

Who's your particular James Bond 007? Seriously, when you think of James Bond movies, which actor comes to mind? Much of it probably has to do with when you were introduced to Bond films in the first place; that actor, whoever it may be, is likely the one you're most in favor of. What's hard to believe now, with Bond 25 scheduled to hit theaters next November, is that there was a time when the character was an unknown quantity. People may have been familiar with him from Ian Fleming's novels, but that was it. That all changed in 1962 when Sean Connery identified himself for the first time as "Bond. James Bond" in Dr. No and movie history was made.

So far, there have been six James Bond actors (seven if you count Barry Nelson in a 1955 live TV production of Casino Royale), with Connery starring in a total of six official Bond films (plus the unofficial Never Say Never Again), George Lazenby taking on one, Roger Moore seven, Timothy Dalton two, Pierce Brosnan four, and Daniel Craig getting ready to start his fifth. Each of them have become a part of the legacy of 007, but there are so many more who auditioned for the part and came really close to getting it. This is a look at some of the men over the years who hoped they would have a chance to play the one and only character, and a few may just surprise you.

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TOM ADAMS

He auditioned for Bond a number of times, and while he was never cast, he did star in a series of Bond knock-offs, beginning with 1965’s The Second Best Secret Agent in the World.

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GEORGE BAKER

The actor was considered for the role of Bond early on, but because he was tied to another studio contract, couldn't be brought in. He did, however, appear in the sixth 007 film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) as the character Sir Hilary Bray.

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SEAN BEAN

He was up for the role of Bond in 1995’s GoldenEye, but was beaten out by Pierce Brosnan. However, Bean did play agent 006, Alec Trevalyan, who turns out to be the bad guy and needs to be stopped by 007. The star of many films (Patriot Games, The Lord of the Rings) and television series, he currently has two shows on the air: The Frankenstein Chronicles and The Oath.

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MICHAEL BILLINGTON

At the time of Live and Let Die’s production in 1972, the role of James Bond came down to Billington, the co-star of the British sci-fi series U.F.O., and Roger Moore. Producer Albert Broccoli (see to the left in the above photo) wanted Billington, but United Artists preferred a recognizable name rather than a relative unknown, given what had happened with George Lazenby. He did appear as Anya Amasova’s boyfriend (killed by Bond) in the opening sequence of 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me.

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ERIC BRAEDEN

Albert Broccoli was very interested in him until he discovered that the actor was actually German, breaking the in-house rule that Bond had to be British. Eric would go on to star in the 1970 sci-fi classic Colossus: The Forbin Project, and has been a star of the soap opera The Young and the Restless since 1980.

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JEREMY BRETT

He is perhaps best known for an amazing run as Sherlock Holmes in a 1980s TV production, but Jeremy was in the running for Bond. He himself would admit that if had he had been accepted for Live and Let Die, it was not the sort of opportunity he could have turned down. But, in a way, he was relieved he didn’t get it, as it would have “spoiled” him as an actor.

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JAMES BROLIN

This was a pretty shocking one. When it came time to negotiations for 1983’s Octopussy, Roger Moore was looking for another increase and Albert Broccoli was looking not to pay it. Brolin, currently starring in the sitcom Life in Pieces, had an extensive audition for the part and by all reports really nailed it. While he auditioned with his natural accent, had he gotten the role he would have developed a British one. In the end, Moore came back for both Octopussy and the subsequent A View To A Kill (1985).

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PIERCE BROSNAN

It may seem odd to have the fifth actor to play James Bond on this list, but the truth is that he first auditioned for and was cast as Bond for 1987’s The Living Daylights. His TV series Remington Steele had come to a close, Roger Moore was finished with 007 and producer Albert Broccoli thought Pierce would be perfect. He was signed and getting ready to meet the press, when NBC, exercising a clause in his TV contract, decided at literally the last minute to renew the series, hoping to ride the coattails of Bond’s publicity. Broccoli was having none of that, so Pierce was let go. Remington came back but was quickly re-cancelled, and Timothy Dalton was signed to play the character of Bond instead. Pierce would finally get the role in 1995’s GoldenEye.

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RICHARD BURTON

In 1959, producer Kevin McClory was working with James Bond creator Ian Fleming on a potential Bond film prior to the character’s rights being secured by producers Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. The project never actually happened and, in a situation too complicated to explain here, ended up with McClory producing the fourth Bond film, Thunderball, with Broccoli and Saltzman due to his being awarded all rights to the story he and Fleming came up with. One of the first actors they spoke to about the project was Burton (on-again, off-again husband to Elizabeth Taylor). Unable to see the potential in Bond, the actor signed on for the film Look Back in Anger instead.

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HENRY CAVILL

Sure, we know him as Superman today thanks to Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, but there are some pretty serious reports that Henry was this close to getting the role of James Bond for 2006’s Casino Royale, though it ultimately went to Daniel Craig. Given his performance in the big screen version of The Man From UNCLE, and what we’ve seen of him in this summer's Mission Impossible: Fallout, we’re pretty convinced he could have handled the job.

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LEWIS COLLINS

There was a very good chance that Roger Moore would be leaving the series following 1979’s Moonraker, largely because he was seeking a large pay increase and producer Albert Broccoli was not seeking the same thing. So a new actor could have been needed for 1981’s For Your Eyes Only. Heavily in the running was Lewis Collins, rumored for Bond for several years. In fact, his 1982 movie The Final Option served as ample proof that he would have been right for the part. But then Roger got his raise, and everyone else was sent packing.

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TERENCE COOPER

The Northern Irish actor, who actually played one of many Bonds in the 1967 spoof Casino Royale (again, too complicated to explains the details here), was under consideration by Kevin McClory for the proposed 1959 Bond film. Reportedly he was pretty annoyed when he found out that what he had signed on for in '67 was not a serious 007 flick. Somebody send that man a script!

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CLINT EASTWOOD

He was offered the part following Sean Connery’s departure after 1971's Diamonds Are Forever, but just didn’t think it would be a good fit. Plus, like most Americans who had been asked to audition for the role, he didn’t feel an American 007 would work. Besides, he believed it was Connery’s gig and he wasn’t interested in following him. Instead, Clint launched his Dirty Harry franchise.

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PETER FINCH

Ian Fleming actually suggested the English-born Australian actor for that unfilmed 1959 Bond movie. Finch, of course, would go on to posthumously win the Academy Award for his role in 1976’s Network.

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JAMES FOX

When approached to screen test for Bond, this British actor (whose credits include 1965’s Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines) he took the same stance that Patrick McGoohan had, turning the part down on moral grounds.

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JOHN GAVIN

Following his one and only 007 film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, George Lazenby quit being Bond and Sean Connery was wooed back one more time for Diamonds Are Forever. Before he signed, however, American actor John Gavin (Psycho) was signed with the understanding that the only way he would not play the role was if Connery came back. Needless to say, we know what happened.

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JULIAN GLOVER

The actor actually played the villain Kirstatos in the 12th Bond film, For Your Eyes Only, but he was actually up for the Bond role before Roger Moore was signed on Live and Let Die. Kind of a cool photo above with the actors performing in a scene together.

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CARY GRANT

The Hollywood icon had already done the spy thing in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 thriller North by Northwest, and although he had actually been Broccoli’s best man at his wedding, he was only willing to sign on for a single Bond film. Obviously that wouldn’t work and the search continued.

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PATRICK MCGOOHAN

There was keen interest in the actor, who would star in the British spy series Danger Man and The Prisoner, but after some consideration he turned it down, feeling that it didn’t fit with his moral and religious convictions.

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SAM NEILL

You may know him as antichrist Damien Thorn in The Final Conflict or as Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park films, but he auditioned for the role of Bond in 1987’s The Living Daylights. You can see that audition if you track down the DVD or Blu-ray. It’s pretty bad, which is why producer Albert Broccoli didn’t go for it, and, in fact, Neill himself has admitted that he didn’t even want to do it; that he was pressured by his agent. It shows.

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IAN OGILVY

He was approached for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, but for various reasons wasn’t cast. He did, however, go on to star in The Return of the Saint, playing the part of Simon Templar that future Bond Roger Moore had made famous in the 1960s.

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OLIVER REED

Producer Albert Broccoli claimed that this British actor was near the top of the list, but given all of the stories about his drinking and carrying on during film productions, it’s hard to believe that he was given serious consideration.

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BURT REYNOLDS

Yes, that Burt Reynolds. He was approached about Bond in about 1970, but was the one to turn down the role, because he believed that Bond needed to be British. Years later he admitted that he had made a mistake and should have done it, because he would be rich and he would have brought some fun to the franchise.

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JOHN RICHARDSON

He came close to the role of Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, but lost out to George Lazenby. He tried out again for Live and Let Die, and Albert Broccoli definitely was in his corner, but in the end the role went to Roger Moore. In 1965 he starred in the movie She along with the first Bond girl, Ursula Andress.

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ANTHONY ROGERS

He appeared in the films Red Line 7000 and El Dorado, and in the late ‘60s was one of a number of actors who were actually photographed from their auditions trying out for Bond. He made it into the top five potentials. Other members of that elite group were Hans De Vries, the American Robert Campbell, and John Richardson. The part in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service ultimately went to Australian model turned actor, George Lazenby.

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JOHN RONANE

Before Roger Moore was signed to play Bond in 1973’s Live and Let Die, this actor had been in a lot of British television, including The Avengers (no, not the one with Iron Man) and Moore’s own The Saint. Apparently he came pretty close to renewing 007’s license to kill.

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TERENCE STAMP

When Sean Connery quit playing Bond following 1967’s You Only Live Twice, the search was on for a new 007. Producer Harry Saltzman had dinner with Stamp (who became iconic Superman villain General Zod in the first two Christopher Reeve films) to discuss the role. Reportedly Stamp’s take on succeeding Connery was too bizarre and the conversation stopped there.

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JAMES STEWART

For the unfilmed 1959 Bond film, there was some discussion with Alfred Hitchcock about directing, and even a willingness to use his frequent star James Stewart (forever known as George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life) as Bond if the director so desired it. This didn’t come to pass, with Hitchcock deciding to do the original Psycho instead. Good thing, too, because odds are Bond would have been a one-shot had Hitchcock done it.

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ROD TAYLOR

The actor, whose many credits include The Time Machine (1960) and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (1963), was asked to play Bond by Albert Broccoli, but he later admitted that he turned it down as being “beneath” him. He also noted that it was one of the biggest mistakes of his career.

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DAVID WARBECK

Another actor who tried out twice for Bond, but was denied. First it was On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and then, because the producers saw a quality in him that they liked, it was Live and Let Die. Always a Bond auditioner, never a Bond.

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ADAM WEST

With all due respect to the late Batman actor, who do we thank for the fact that he wasn't cast as Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service? That would have been the end of the series. Like Burt Reynolds, West was of the opinion that Bond needed to be British. Oh, man, now we’re having nightmares of, “To the Aston Martin, Old Chum!” (but, you know, in a fake British accent).